


Exiled Intent

by Lioriel



Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 10:19:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5413124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lioriel/pseuds/Lioriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The girl had struck a nerve. Multiple nerves, in fact. He had already understood that the Fae Sorceress was unlike the other useless yordles with her cheerful insanity and bravery bordering on naivety but this...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Dark books of magic and papers lay askew throughout the large, dimly lit study. The hour was nearing midnight but no answer had yet to be found. If it were a simple matter power, Veigar was certain he could have managed long ago. But no, as much as the people of Valoran wanted to believe the political arena was based on power and power alone, there was a certain degree of actual politics needed to rule the world. A book slammed shut, channeling his frustration on the subject into something far less destructive than, say, a primordial burst onto a useless inanimate object.

They'd never take him seriously. It was difficult enough to convince other yordles that he could destroy them at his whim… let alone humans. And for them to believe he could conquer all of Valoran? Impossible. No, Veigar was a joke. A short, high-pitched creature with a limp. Power alone could not unite the city-states. Not without  _entirely_  destroying them.

Standing, the yordle stretched , cracking his neck with closed eyes. It had been a long night, perhaps it was time to get some sleep. Though as he walked to the door, Veigar stopped to look over his large, worn map of Valoran on the wall. Would it ever be his? Or would he remain the laughing stock of the League forever?

No. No, he would rise. Rise in glory and power and respect and then no one… no army, no king, and certainly no prison guard would be able to touch him. But first, first he would have to capture the respect of the little people.

… perhaps it was time to return to his original plan. Only this time, no dart-blowing scout was going to get in the way.

 

**Chapter One**

When morning came, Veigar woke with a faint smile. The outline of his plan had been worked out late into night. It would not be easy. Last time he had been left too vulnerable by the simplicity. His ego had told him his plan was invulnerable. Never again.

It was after noon that he left at his usual time for a walk through the woods outside his home. It was a decrepit old thing, formally a library in some unknown era. Forgotten and left to time to rot in disrepair, none but Veigar knew of its existence. Even if they had, no yordle would dare enter. A clear sense of darkness surrounded the building. Dying trees, little sign of life. Best of all, the previous owner had clearly taken an interest in all things magic.

Traveling Northeast through the woods, Veigar let his mind wander back to the plan. He'd have to make a visit to Piltover, but he was quite certain he'd be able to find what he needed. At this point it was more a matter of research than anything and-

He paused, alert at the sound of a twig snapping. A moment later, a giggle. Shoot, what day was it? Tuesday. Of course. It was always on Tuesdays that-

"Hyah!" A blast of glittering purple from opposite directions pierced his coat, stinging lightly and slowing him to a near stop.

It was no matter of importance. It wasn't as if she could do any real damage. It was all fairies and glitter with this one. Yet.… He summoned an event horizon, paralyzing the sorceress. She only grinned. "Hope you weren't waiting long!" Veigar chuckled in his menacingly high voice. "I don't have the time to spar today, little girl."

When the spell released, the girl zoomed around to his opposite side, using her staff as a vehicle of sorts. "Where are you going, Veigar? Bandle City? Did you have any special plans? Were you going to try to steal something again?" The questions sputtered out as she landed her staff, spinning around to a finish. Her pesky little fairy followed behind, doing spins of his own before resting on the girl's ornate hat.

He was used to this. Long given up on fighting it. Whether the girl had been waiting or had noticed him by chance, the dark mage had no way of knowing. But her appearances were as frequent as they were painful. "My plans are of no concern to you."

"But it is! If you won't play with me, I should at least get to know why!" she laughed, trotting beside him as he hurried down the path. "Come on, you. Please? Pleeeeeease?"

He shot a halfhearted glare in her direction, all she'd be able to see beneath his enchanted hat. As always, it had no effect. "I'm much too busy to 'play,' girl."

Nonetheless the pleading continued. It was easy enough to tune out, given all the experience that had been forced upon him. But it was  _constant_. "Please? What are you doing? Does it have something to do with Teemo? Cupcakes? Gift-shopping?"

He ignored it all, the only evidence of his weariness a slight twitch in his right eye.

"Veeeeigaaar! Oh fine, be that way!" There was a moment of silence, not even the sound of footsteps.

Finally!

"Fuzzy!"

His relief was shortlived. A fraction of a second later, the world had grown. Or, as evidenced by the purple, exposed fur he was now sporting, he had been transformed into one of those squirrels she so adored. "Squeak squee squee, Squeak!" he demanded, his threatening now more useless than before. He should have seen this coming. Lulu might not have killer instinct, but her magic was strong and her persistence unbendable. If he didn't want to fight, she'd make him.

The yordle-turned-squirrel manages a hiss, his point evident despite the language barrier she'd forced upon him.

"Oooh tsk, that's no way to talk, Mr. Fuzzy," she shook her head slowly, eyes closed. "Now. If you don't want to tell me, that's okay. We all have our secrets. I just don't think it's fair to cancel our plans without an explanation!"

"Squeak squeak sque-" right. Useless. Though somehow he had the feeling that even should he had said it in plain language it wouldn't get through to her. They had made no plans. They never made plans. She was the one stalking him through his forest nearly every Tuesday.

"I'm going to release you so you can talk, okay?" A moment later the spell lifted, Veigar returning to his usual yordle stature.

A choice word was thrown her way, making her gasp and shake her head again, a stubborn pout setting in. The fairy creature made a show of threatening gestures with its arms, but only served as an act of comedy due to his minute size.

"If you won't tell me, fight me!" she demands, apparently reaching her limit.

"Fight? I thought it was play time for you," he huffs, rolling his eyes as he set forward once more. He fully expected her to attack again, but he may as well make some distance in the mean time.

"Whoever said they weren't the same?" A stinging blast of glitter accompanied her odd taunt, followed by another, then another.

The next few moments were a mad jumble of stuns, slows, and glittering purple attacks. While he could go on almost endlessly with his fast-charging mana pool, Veigar had long-since grown weary. He had things to do, evil plans to make. Perhaps if he just ended it already. Put the crazed yordle out of her misery. But, he grimaced as he realized, he had already gone through this. She was a champion at the League. Not to mention, no real threat, only a real annoyance. It would be a waste of his power to-

Veigar's thoughts and rhythm are interrupted when all at once he was knocked to the ground, staff clattering beside him. She hung over him like a feral cat, bare hands narrowly avoiding his spiked armor as he glared upwards. "Would you kindly get off of me?" he shrieked, turning them over so he would dominate instead.

The girl laughed in response. "That was fun!"

Taken aback by her cheer, she was easily able to turn him back again with the help of her glittery slowing attack.

That's when it all went downhill… in the most literal sense. Pushing her off to turn on top once more, the two reached the hidden edge of the cliff. Tumbling, the girl let out a small shriek of fear, clinging tightly to her opponent. Landing with a clatter, their hold on each other released only after instinct allowed.

Veigar was the first to stand, the girl rubbing her sore, hatless head while blinking as her fairy buzzed down to fuss over her. "What just-?"

" _You_  pushed us off that cliff!" Veigar growled, gauntleted hand thrust upwards to point to where he had spoken of. Truth be told, the word cliff might have been a little strong. The grade wasn't so steep that they shouldn't be able to manage their way back up . Hopefully.

Her sight followed his finger… then back to where he stood glaring at her menacingly. It was then the girl's face changed from confusion to pure awe as she stared at him.

"… What?" he snapped, staring right back.

"…. Nothing~" humming, the girl, clambered to her feet as the fairy completed one last lap around her before landing behind her ear.

Veigar's eyes rolled, thoroughly exasperated by the girl at this point. Now, where was his staff? … The top of the hill, of course. He hadn't had it on him on his way down. Though  _of course_  Lulu's had made the tumble. He begins looking around more, just in case when-

"Hi!" the girl was mere inches from his face, covered in dirt with a few minor scratches. She was still oddly fascinated as before. What was she on? And why hadn't he bothered to remove her?

"…"

Her giddy expression softened slightly. Inexplicably, he found her finger hovering just above his eyes and it finally clicked. His hat. He growled, jerking back before she could make contact. "No. No no no, you will never speak of this, do you hear me, girl?"

She blinked, hand dropping. "But Veeeigar, you look so much better like this! Why do you hide?"

He was searching wildly for his hat. Clearly it hadn't completed the fall. Scanning the brush and trees on the hill a tuft of blue feathers stuck out, marking where to go. "I don't want to look better, fool!" he snaps at her, looking angrier than before. She had seen him. Fur, scars, and all.

"What's that even supposed to mean?" she follows after him, grabbing her hat and whimsying up the hill effortlessly floating beside him.

While her question had merit, his exclamation had been a gut reaction more than anything, he did not care to answer. Instead, Veigar grasped at a root a short ways up.

"It didn't make any sense!" she continues to chide him.

Of course she wouldn't drop it. "It means," he hissed, "that my appearance is none of your business." His hold slipped, sending the yordle sliding several feet. "Gah!"

"Hmmm," Lulu came to land on a large rock half way up. "You want your hat back, right?"

He grumbled something unintelligible in response.

"Probably your staff back too, huh? And return to the path so you can get to your very important cupcake heist you were planning."

"I wasn't going to steal any cupcakes," he growled upwards, reaching the spot he had been in before. Now, if he only went for this root instead, perhaps he could make it this time.

"Hey!"

Startled, he missed, slipping once more. "WHAT?!"

"I asked you a question, Mr. Grumpy-pants."

"What?"

Tutting, she shook her head. "I only thought that maaaybe you'd like a little help. But not if you're going to be mean," she pouted, sitting herself with legs and arms crossed.

Would he accept help? Probably, if she had given it wordlessly. But to make him beg? "I don't need your help."

"Sure you don't."

He was almost to the same spot again. This time, this time he would succeed in climbing it. Just a little further and… there! Grinning, Veigar pulled the rest of his body up to the next handhold, finding a solid enough landing for his feet. "Yes! Hahahaha!"

Veigar continued upwards, paying the girl no mind until he was level with her, and only then to spare her a wary glance at her slack-jawed expression. She had been silent for a short while now. Odd. After passing her by, a rush of wind from behind could be felt as the girl shouted out, "Zippy!" She stopped by his hat, pulling it out for herself. "I've always like your hat," she grinned, looking it over, and under, and all around before dropping it on her head. The enchantment kicked in, darkening her face and brightening her already bright green eyes.

"Leave it alone, girl!"

"I have a name, you know," she mutters, pouting slightly as she took it off.

"I fail," a reach for the next branch, "to see the relevance."

"I call you by your name. Or would you rather me just call you, say…" she pauses to think, "Kitty!"

A disgusted sound comes forth. She wouldn't dare.

"Kitty it is!"

… of course she would dare. She knew no fear.

"Fine,  _Lulu_. Drop the hat!"

"Okay!" The girl grinned, dropping his hat back into the bush… to watch it tumble all the way down the hill.

…

"LULU!"

For the briefest of moments, a stricken look of panic crossed the girl's face. "I'll get it, I'll get it, don't worry! Just just um keep climbing up, okay? Don't worry!" With that, Lulu zipped back down, then up, dropping the hat at the top next to his staff. Clearly she could have made the trip a hundred times over in the time it was taking him. "See! Easy. It's safe up here. Now we just need to get you up too! Sure you don't want the spell?"

"I'm sure I'll never need  _your_  brand of help again."

"Okay~"

For the next few minutes, there was blessed silence as Veigar climbed. Lulu lay at the top, her own hat retrieved and resting where it belonged. Her eyes closed, resting as she waited. When he surfaced, covered in dirt and fresh scratches, he marched directly to collect his belongings. By the time Lulu looked up, his face was already veiled. "Aww," she pouted in disappointment.

His eerie glowing eyes looked to her on the ground sharply, then away. There was no reason to bother with her now. "Never again," he reminds her.

"Never what?"

He summoned an event horizon as he hobbled off, holding it as long as he could to prevent her from following. Never again.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Veigar could be such a spoilsport, but deep down Lulu didn’t really mind. Despite his harsh way of speaking, the mage was one of the few who was always willing, (with some encouragement) to play with her. Never once off the League’s battlefields had the yordle come anywhere near truly damaging her. He could if he chose to. But he didn’t. To her, that spoke volumes.

Every Tuesday at one-thirty, just as the time was starting to taste like celery and peanut butter, Veigar passed by her favorite log in the woods. He often did this on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and all sorts of days as well, but… Tuesdays were blue and that matched Veigar’s robes. Naturally, that was the day she made plans to play with him.

The fallen tree was beautiful, with all sorts of knobbly twists and turns and colorful shelf fungi. Lulu added to its whimsical nature, magicking all sorts of flowers. When sunlight dappling through the foliage the image was perfect. The bright array of colors, tastes, and smells almost made her feel like she was back in the Glade.

Today was Wednesday, a brilliant shade of orange. As it was, there was no need to play with her friend. Lulu wasn’t dense enough to believe that he would, even should she make herself visible. Yesterday had been quite the event, and there was no doubt Veigar still needed to cool down from what had happened. She smiled softly as she heard him approaching, peaking through the leaves of a bush beside the path. The yordle appeared to be in deep concentration, unaware as he usually was that he was being spied upon. For someone who claimed to be so evil, she knew he really needed to work on that. Villains weren’t supposed to be surprised when ambushed on a regular basis.

Lulu sighed, imagining the possible expressions Veigar might be making. Of course the one time she had been lucky enough to see under his hat he refused to show anything but his grumpy face. All except for that one blessed moment when he had laughed in his pride of climbing up the hill. That smile… … Lulu shook herself out of the daze, realizing as Pix questioningly poked her cheek that Veigar had passed by and out of sight. Depending on if this were to be a simple walk or a secret trip to Bandle City, it could be a mere half hour to hours until he came back this way. It was unfortunate that his return schedule wasn’t nearly as predictable as his departure.

Not that this really mattered. Today was a Wednesday, and orange was not a color to be dampened by grumpiness.

“Let’s play!” she cheers to Pix, skipping off with her staff to begin one of her many fairy games.

As the hours wore on, Lulu paid little attention to the time. Time was a funny thing like that, having little use aside from admiring its flavors when there was nothing to look forward too. Only when she felt the teleportation crystal in her pocket begin to warm up did she stop to realize how late it had gotten. Casting a quick spell as she took hold of the crystal, the smell of apples and brown sugar overwhelmed her. Three thirty-five. Delicious. Moments later the crystal’s spell took effect, transporting her to the red side platform of Summoner ’s Rift.

The sweet taste of chocolate was stronger than usual. A quick check confirmed its actual presence in cupcake form; Caitlyn would be her marksman. Also present were Vi, Singed, and Veigar. The latter seemed none-too-happy to have been summoned as he grumbled to himself in his usual shrieking tones.

“Veeeigar~!” she cheered, grinning as his head snapped her way. He smelled particularly good this game, wearing his white and red robes. “I’ll be in the bottom lane this game. Good luck mid!” Lulu took off on her staff, the usual trail of flowers left behind as she headed into the jungle.

Throughout the game, the purple yordle’s mood was eerily good. Explosive bouts of giggles came and went and the strangest at times. Caitlyn did not seem to mind too much… their laning opponents were largely incompetent anyway. Even when Blitzcrank finally did manage to land a grab, Lulu easily turned Lucian into a squirrel and made a clean getaway. Truly, nothing of note happened until after the enemy tower had gone down and she and Caitlyn began to roam.

The two reached the middle lane just in time watch an overenthusiastic Katarina attack Veigar under his tower. He had been biding his time, growing his power minion by minion. A stun and a primordial burst later, he turned to see Lulu and Caitlyn step out of the brush. “Yaaay!” Lulu squealed, clapping enthusiastically at his success. She could imagine it now, that amazing grin of his beneath the hat. Veigar was laughing as beautifully as ever. Lulu giggled softly, hurrying over to where he stood.

His laugh stopped abruptly, sensing his teammate beside him.  “… Why are you in my lane?” he asked coldly.

“To help you get mid tower, of course~” she stated in her sing-songy voice.

Caitlyn went straight to farming after dropping her trinket ward on the opposite side of the river.

“My farm!” he snarled, just missing at hit that went to Caitlyn on a cannon minion. “That one was worth double the power. Out!”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, turning away after stealing one more blessed minion. “Come on, Lulu. It’s time to fight the Dragon anyway.”

“But um… um, tower… oh fine,” she left Veigar’s side to help secure the buff.

The game was an overall steal, Veigar and Lulu’s team out damaging the helpless enemy from an early point and snowballing from there. It was after the match, as everybody prepared to teleport themselves off the field that Lulu finally pulled through on her unspoken promise to annoy Veigar.

“That was such a great game!” Lulu cheered, twirling circles around her friend. “Our lane went so well and the one time Blitz was all, ‘exterminate!’ and actually made a grab I just, poof! Squirrel,” she giggles, slowing to look Veigar over. … he did not look impressed. “And you fought Katarina so well! I don’t know why everyone’s so afraid of her, with your abilities it must have been easy to stop her.”

The shape of his eye changed just slightly, and Lulu imagined there to be more of a smile hidden beneath. “She was rather clumsy, wasn’t she? Though the others fear her because they lack my raw power!” an evil chuckle.

Lulu just smiled. “And my polymorph!”

“… yes, I suppose that too,” he admitted, recalling one of the final teamfights.

“Hey. Hey, Veigar, I wanted to ask if you were able to finish your secret plan after last time when I saw your-“

A short growl later, he moved towards her. Amber eyes attempting to be threatening.  “I told you to never speak of that again!”

“Oh. Oh, right. Uh, is it going to be a problem if I already told someone that-“

“Who?!” Veigar demanded, beside himself. “I should have known you’d never-”

“Pix, silly,” Lulu rolled her eyes, twirling around. “Of course I didn’t tell anyone.” Leaning out on her staff for support, the girl sticks out her tongue. On top of her head, Pix does the same. “Though,” the cheerful demeanor is dropped as she pauses to add a thought. Veigar began marching away to the platform, taking out his teleportation crystal. “I don’t still see why you hide,” she finishes.

A glare backwards is all he gives.

“Really! I think you’re handsome, even with all those sca-” Lulu found the large gauntlet over her mouth before she could finish. She hadn’t been aware he could even move that fast. “Mwrt?” Eyes wide, her question is muffled.

“Never. Mention. Those. Again,” he hisses, still holding his hand in her way.

“Ut meh ach oo ugh ool.”

Even under the hat’s enchantment, Veigar was clearly confused. Lulu waited patiently while Pix leapt from her hat to Veigar’s. Flittering around and yanking on the feathers, Pix got his attention. Veigar’s hand shot up to swat the fairy away, but Pix dodged.

“I said,” she haughtily stated now that she was free to talk, “that they make you look cool.” That much was obvious. Besides, didn’t he want to look evil? Scars had a habit of making people look tough.

“Tch,” he hisses, moving away to the platform again. “You know nothing.”

“Neither do you!” she shouts back, pouting still.

“Girl, just-“

“Kitty.”

A brief pause. Then,“… _Lulu_.  Would you kindly leave me alone?” he asked in what was clearly meant to be his most polite attempt at shutting her down. “Your compliments are unwanted.”

As the teleport began to overtake him, Veigar’s final view of the Rift would of a surprisingly threatening green-eyed glare.

“… He’s starting to upset me, Pix,” she pouted once they were alone.

Said fairy landed on her staff, looking to her with pity. “I don’t know why you try.”

For a moment, Lulu wasn’t sure why she did either. Were all her attempts to make him smile really worth the verbal abuse? Had even a moment of their time together been appreciated? Perhaps not, but… “Because we’re the same,” she finally responded, watching Pix from the corner of her eye. He seemed to understand, knowing when none others could not. Her crystal was retrieved and her eyes closed, willing it to bring her home.

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

 

The girl had struck a nerve. Multiple nerves, in fact. He had already understood that the Fae Sorceress was unlike the other useless yordles with her cheerful insanity and bravery bordering on naivety, but this…

 "Gah!" he shouted to himself as the teleport completed to where he had directed. To think she would dare to comment on his scars. Veigar tossed his gauntlets to his bed, glaring out the window as he did so. The sun was getting low, but some hours would still remain in the day. Below he could see the expanse of the forest from his third-story tower. Somewhere out there, that purple monstrosity was likely skipping around making friends with chipmunks and turning them into cupcakes.

 The yordle turned away from the window, digging recklessly through the bottom drawer of his dresser across from the bed. It didn't take long to find, the old mirror. It was one of those things that had been in the library when he discovered the building so many years ago. He hadn't quite the heart to toss it away. Perhaps it was a matter of superstition… if so, that was a flaw he'd have to correct. Out came the ornate mirror, raised eye-level by his bare, scarred hands. Unnaturally bright amber eyes shone back, a sight that should put fear into the hearts of any mortal. Should.

 Placing the mirror at the top of his dresser, Veigar slowly removed his enchanted hat. What remained was the shell of a yordle. Dull, black fur marred by three sizeable scars on his face along with a knick in his right ear. Lifeless amber eyes. Typical, childish yordle head-shape. He looked weak. Weak and pathetic and certainly not one of those ridiculous things the crazed girl had claimed. Cool? Handsome? Tossing superstition aside he swung at the mirror, sending it toppling to the ground where it shattered. There had been a reason it was hidden away from the start.

 Veigar barreled through the doorway to his study downstairs, shoving the comforting hat back on. There was one way to prove himself powerful, and that was to continue his plan. He knew that at his next chance to teleport he really should go directly to Piltover. He might have even gone tonight if Lulu hadn't distracted him. But no matter, he would use the time to prepare. A fresh, new pile of Bandle City newspapers from the last week sat on his desk, ready to be explored.

 Scanning first the headlines, the articles were sorted, read, and… for the most part, trash. But a few useful gems caught his eye, verifying what he had initially thought. He would find exactly what he needed in the City of Progress.

 

Unfortunately, Veigar's chance to make use of the League's teleportation crystals would not come for several days. The yordle kicked himself for not taking advantage the last time his chance came around. He would not allow himself to be distracted again.

It was on Friday that Veigar was finally summoned to the Freljord. As luck would have it, the summons came just as the yordle had sat down to eat breakfast. He was none-too-pleased but took it for what it was: a chance to make use of the League's power. Typically, battles on the bridge spanning the Howling Abyss went fairly well for Veigar. It wasn't difficult to make use of the narrow field with an event horizon. A good stun could spell the death of nearly any soul caught out. There were disadvantages though, namely in respect to the lackluster minion farm… but even an inexperienced summoner could usually make use of his abilities.

It was to his dismay, then, when the battle went horribly wrong. His summoner had allowed the enemy Teemo to kill him countless times. This was the last champion he wished to give an ego boost. … The humiliation stung more than the physical pain. But he suffered through it and when his team’s nexus fell, Veigar was finally able to teleport to Piltover.

 

The crystal deposited him in a pleasant place of memory, the edge of a lush park with a perfect view of Piltover's skyline. Towering ahead was the center of the city, set high above like some temple of progress. Everything about its design was clearly meant to impress and inspire, from the large clockwork cogs to the clean-yet-intricate construction.

There was once a time when Veigar stood here in awe, admiring the sheer vastness and beauty of the city before him. He had been young and naive, entirely unaware of what would shortly befall him. Now the jaded yordle could see the city for what it was: a showy means to acquire power through technology.

 

Whipping the newspaper clipping out of his tunic he scanned the article once more. Around him, people brushed by unaware or uncaring of the small personage shrouded in darkness. The presence of Yordles in Piltover had grown rapidly in the past years since his first arrival. The city had been welcoming of Heimerdinger's pupils, all-too-happy to steal their technology for themselves.

 The article clearly stated that Professor Heimerdinger's latest invention would be on display at the Yordle Academy of Science and Progress for the next month days before being transferred back to his workshop. The Academy was located a short walk away, but the tempting smell fresh tuna caused Veigar's empty stomach to rumble. Perhaps a detour would be in order…

As he shifted through Piltover's crowded streets, Veigar followed the delicious smell to a market stand. For a fraction of a moment the yordle considered doing the right thing, even reaching his hand into his tunic for the coins he had saved for just this purpose but… why? When the salesman chanced to look down the road the opposite way he slipped two cuts off the tray and slunk away with glee.

"Hehehehe," he chuckled to himself in what he was sure sounded quite evil, chomping on the first of the pieces. If anyone thought the little yordle in a spiky wizard's hat might be a little strange, they didn't say anything.

It was just before the second bite, however, that it happened.

A large BOOM reverberated through the city, followed by another. Shrieks were heard, shops were packed up, and a total of three wretched humans had the gall to trip on him as they ran from the apparent explosions. The remainder of his meal was trampled on in the crowd's hurry to get away. The blasts continued, but mostly Veigar was just angry that his attempt to eat had been foiled again. Pulling himself to a stand after the third fall, the Master of Evil looked up in hopes to see who had caused this disaster. With no immediate culprit in site, he turned to the one remaining human in the street. "You!" he shouted threateningly, sending his most evil of glares his way. "What do you know of this?"

The merchant, pushing his cart into an alleyway, didn't seem to notice the glare. "You better get out of here quickly, little guy."

Veigar's left ear twitched. "Why? Is this a regular occurrence?"

The man barely glanced at the yordle as he locked the cart up. "It's that Jinx again. Now shoo, go hide." Another boom sent the merchant scurrying.

If this really was Jinx's doing, revenge would have to wait. There was only so much he could do to another League champion before getting kicked out of the program. Veigar took the man's advice and left, if only to take advantage of the chaos the crazed woman had created. Unsure of how long it would last he hopped the stretch needed to reach the academy. The walkways were expectantly deserted but the inner halls would be the true test. For now he kept outside, glancing at the building names as he ran by.

 

The hallways were nearly silent, aside from the occasional yelp of fear or anger and distant booming of Jinx’s latest assault. From the closed doorways of classrooms the whirring of gears and clashing of metal made it unclear if its occupants were either continuing their lessons as planned or prepping to join the fray. A few voices sounded as if they might be familiar but Veigar thought it best not to stray from the goal of observing the machine without being observed himself.

At long last, he dove in, finding the perfectly vacant display room of Heimerdinger's Carrier Ultra-Load 8th-Type Robot.

Veigar stood in awe, genuinely impressed by the sheer size of the machine. The miniscule photograph in the Bandle City newspaper he had stolen off Teemo's front porch did not do it justice. The shiny blue platform at the top took up half the room and three enormous hydraulic adjustable stabilizing legs could unfold to stand several stories tall. Four sets of drone blades large enough to lift the heavy weight. The red, rubber-coated, oversized crane in the center? Taking a quick look either way to ensure he was still alone first, Veigar climbed over the rope to look straight up into the mechanical monster. Perfect. Absolutely perfect for the job that needed to be done.

... Unfortunately, there was no possible way he could learn to control this thing without years of study. The Master of Evil hated it admit it to even himself, but it looked like he would need to find an accomplice if this plan were to work. Was it even worth it?

It was quiet now. As the realization of this struck him, Veigar hopped out and away from the machine. While it might not have been the most suspicious of things to be noticed observing the CUL8TR from a distance in a crowd of Yordles and humans alike he was not yet ready to be tied to crime he was still devising. He hurried back out into the hall, passing the same noisy classrooms as before. Just as he turned to exit a final, much louder explosion was to be heard.

Veigar whipped around, his gauntlets subconsciously lifted high over his hat to press against where his ears lay hidden. Had Jinx attacked the building or…? A plume of smoke rushed out of the door opening across the hallway. Coughing, gagging, and the annoyed grumble of yordles joined the exit, hardly noticing Veigar’s presence as they brushed past him. Perhaps if he snuck out the opposite direction they wouldn’t-

“That was perfect!” A fur ball of maniacal glee burst from the smoky room, jittering with excitement. His colleagues groaned in response, making it clear to all they vehemently disagreed. “Well, maybe not perfect for _this_ experiment,” Ziggs amended, “but just think if I had connected the capacitor to a shorter fuse and used it to-“ the Dean of Demolition stopped, noticing as the air cleared that his intended audience  had completed their journey outside, leaving only the shadowy figure with a tall wizard’s hat in the distance. “…Veigar!”

The mage cringed. The moment he realized it was Ziggs’s explosion that had sent the researchers running, Veigar knew he should do the same. The Master of Evil wanted nothing to do with being placed at the Academy by a League associate, or to be around the champion’s famous explosives. Yet here he was, clearly recognized.

Ziggs leapt to catch up, forgetting his experiment for the time being. “What’s a yordle like you doing a place like this?” The question came without much judgment, only curiosity.

“League business, nothing you need to worry about,” came Veigar’s reply as he continued to hop away. How much further until the next exit?

“Oooh with who?” Ziggs laughed, walking beside him. “Heimer’s back in his lab if you’re looking for him.”

Hesitating, Veigar glanced over. Maybe Ziggs could be useful after all… “Oh? And where exactly might that be?”

“South side of campus, big red door, blue sign. You can’t miss it. What did you need him for anyway?”

“Don’t you have an experiment to clean up?”

Ziggs snorted, “I don’t clean. I make things go kaBoom! Nah, someone else will take care of it.”

“Tch,” Veigar gritted his teeth, speeding up. Apparently it wouldn’t be that easy to brush the yordle off. “My business is done here. Get back to your presentation!”

Ziggs must have been satisfied, or at least bored, seeing as he sped off to return to his project. Veigar breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew the danger wasn’t over. Until his plan reached its finale, no one could know of his involvement.

It seemed clear now that one accomplice wasn’t going to be enough. Fortunately, for this new part he knew exactly who he needed. The problem was that the loss his breakfast would have to wait to be avenged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's plenty more coming, already written. But I'll post it faster if you make me feel special <3


End file.
